Amy + Josh’s nature-inspired wedding at the Grouse Mountain Lodge in Whitefish, Montana will inspire you with its rustic chic charm, feminine light pink & cobalt blue color palette, and personalized decor.
Venue: Grouse Mountain Lodge in Whitefish, Montana | Wedding Photos: Kiralee Jones Photography
Their Love Story Begins
Amy is originally from Montana and grew up in White Sulphur Springs. She met Josh at the University of South Florida in Tampa, where they both worked as athletic trainers.
Wedding Photos: Kiralee Jones Photography
Their Proposal Story
I was taking a certification course for work over the weekend, and we met for lunch. Josh hardly ate any of his food (very unusual) and practically ran out of the restaurant when he finished, leaving me sitting at the table.
What I didn’t know was that he had just found out the ring had come in, and he was headed to pick it up after lunch. While I was in the course, he texted me and asked if I wanted to go to a Christmas event at the local zoo with our friends and their children. I had been wanting to go to the zoo so, of course, I agreed.
When I got home, Josh met me at the door in a nice button-up shirt, but it was undone, and he was pouring sweat (in December). I thought it was strange, but he made a joke about watching Cops and told me to take my time getting ready. I just rinsed off quickly and put my hair in a ponytail. He told me my Elf shirt that said: “Son of a Nutcracker” was wrinkly, and maybe I should change, which was also out of character for him.
Driving to the zoo, Josh was silent, hardly responding to anything I said, and just thought he was in a bad mood for some reason. Once we got there and met up with our friends’ things seemed pretty normal; the little boy kept asking to go to the giraffe exhibit, which was also what I was most excited for!
When we finally went to the giraffes, Josh asked his friends to take a picture, which was their cue he was going to pop the question. He paced around and then knelt down, and I thought he was tying my shoe, but then I saw the ring, and neither of us remembers what he said! But I said yes!
It turns out it had been the plan to propose by my favorite animal, the giraffes, and the little boy had overheard this. He was doing his best not to ruin the surprise but was so excited and made everyone super nervous when he started bringing up the giraffes.
-Amy
Their Wedding Day
Amy and Josh wanted nature and Montana’s rustic scenery to play a significant role in their August wedding. Bold cobalt blue and soft pink, the couple’s classic color palette, complimented mother nature perfectly.
Their wedding was an incredibly fun and laid back gathering of family and friends surrounded by the beauty of nature. Both the bride and groom enjoy being outdoors, so they let the natural beauty speak for itself accented with a clean white reception tent aesthetic and minimal decor.
Grouse Mountain Lodge
When Josh visited Whitefish with Amy (in her home state of Montana), he loved it, and that’s why they chose Grouse Mountain Lodge.
This venue was a natural choice – with their love for the great outdoors, there was no better place to hold their celebration than surrounded by the beauty of Whitefish, Montana. Being all-inclusive, Grouse Mountain Lodge provided the venue for both the ceremony and reception, catering, and bar service as well as lodging for their guests.
The Ceremony
A one-of-a-kind welcome sign, “Welcome to the Best Day Ever,” greeted guests and loved ones to their special day.
Partial Planning + Signage: Sharp Events & Decor
Amy walked down the aisle on a bright and gorgeous August afternoon.
“Our first look was when I walked down the aisle, and that was pretty special.” Amy recounted.
The couple wed under a beautiful arch handcrafted by the bride’s father. Made with love out of aspen trees from her hometown property. Aspens were a theme of their wedding and were incorporated throughout the decor.
As the two exchanged vows in front of those they love most – happy tears were shed, and laughs were shared.
The Gown
Amy was stunning in her white, form-fitted gown. With lace, an open back, and an elegant train – her dress was designed for a summertime wedding.
The bride’s shoes delicately laced up her ankle – the perfect pair to compliment the perfect dress!
The Bridal Party
The bridal attendants stood by their bride in gorgeous soft pink and white two-piece gowns. Each white top was uniquely chosen by each bridesmaid. The officiant, and really good friend of the bride, wore a cobalt blue and white dress made to stand out.
The groom and groomsmen wore classy, cobalt blue suits with accents of soft pink in their ties, pocket squares, and boutonnieres. Josh and each groomsman wore cobalt sneakers and playful, fancy socks! We love these personalized details.
The Florals
The Bungalow in Whitefish provided the gorgeous flowers in bulk, while Sharp Events & Decor and the maid of honor put the flower arrangements together. From the trellis cascading down the ceremony archway, to the delicate boutonnieres, to the sweet roses on the cake – the florals set a gorgeous and rustic vibe to an already beautiful, Montana setting.
Decor
Sharp Events & Decor created a sign suite using the aspen trees inclusive of the welcome sign, bar sign, ceremony signs, guest book sign, and gifts and cards sign. The centerpieces also included aspen trees that held the couple’s engagement photos and had their initials “A+J” carved.
“I had a very loose description of what I wanted for decor. I was inside all day, and when I saw how all the decor came together, it was so much more beautiful than I could have ever imagined!” said Amy.
The Cake
Designed to reflect the rustic tones of their wedding, the two-tiered cake was crafted to resemble an aspen tree – complete with “A + J” initials carved in. Beautifully made by Cakes By Debi, this was indeed a work of art.
The Reception
Cocktails and dinner followed the ceremony. Guests mingled under the big, white canopy.
“There was lots of dancing at the reception, and it was so much fun!” Amy recalled.
The Flathead Valley-based band – The Bad Larrys – had everyone out on the dance floor, twisting the night away.
The traditional first dance was very special and beautifully captured. These beautiful photos will serve as treasures from the day the Herran’s became Mr. and Mrs.
Everything about this wedding was rustic chic – from the meaningful incorporation of aspen trees to the cake carved with “A+J” initials, these details truly brought their dream wedding to life.
Vendors:
- Venue: Grouse Mountain Lodge
- Lodging: Grouse Mountain Lodge
- Catering: Grouse Mountain Lodge
- Bar Service: Grouse Mountain Lodge
- Photography: Kiralee Jones Photography
- Makeup: Kimberly Carpenter
- Cake: Cakes by Debi
- Band: The Bad Larrys
- Florals provided by: The Bungalow
- Partial Planning + Signage: Sharp Events & Decor
Thank you for sharing your special day with us!
For the opportunity to have your real Montana wedding featured on Cheers MT, please email hello@cheersmt.com or submit an inquiry here.
